Malcolm-Jamal Warner death investigation takes mysterious new twist as police officer speaks

Daily Mail​

28-07-2025

The investigation into the death of Malcolm-Jamal Warner has taken another shock turn, 18 days after the actor drowned on a Costa Rican beach.
Authorities originally claimed that Cosby Show star Warner, 54, was swimming with his eight-year-old daughter on July 20 when the pair were caught by a rip current - with surfers rushing to their aid.
In a statement on Thursday, Costa Rica's Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ) said that the star's daughter was not in the water at the time that he drowned.
'Mr. Warner was playing with his daughter at the seashore at one point. He then left her out of the water, and he and a friend of his entered the sea,' the OIJ said in a statement originally written in Spanish.
'It was at that moment that they were swept away by the current, and the friend managed to get out,' it continued. 'However, Mr. Warner was unable to get out and was pulled out by several people on the beach. He received care from Red Cross officials, but was pronounced dead at the scene.'
Now, Elberth León, Chief of the Tourist Police of the Atlantic Region, has doubled down on claims the actor was indeed trying to save his daughter and she was in the water at the time, saying: 'I know what I saw.'
León, who responded to the incident, added in a statement to US Weekly: 'The Red Cross also treated the girl [on site] and she didn't need to go to the clinic.
'I don't know why the OIJ is saying that, since they weren't present at the scene. They interviewed Malcom's family, but they also weren't there at the time of the accident.'
DailyMail.com contacted representatives for the OIJ for comment - who reissued their previous statement that Warner's daughter was on the shoreline.
DailyMail.com has also reached out to Warner's representatives for comment but hasn't yet received a response.
New York's ABC7 had previously reported that law enforcement said one surfer dived in to help and 'used his board to bring Warner's daughter to safety and a volunteer lifeguard pulled Warner and another surfer to shore.'
The reason for the discrepancy is unclear.
Warner, who died of asphyxia by submersion, was given 45 minutes of CPR after he was pulled out of the ocean.
The father and daughter had been enjoying a day on the water near Cocles, a beach in Limon, Costa Rica, before tragedy struck.
The outlet noted that both surfers survived the harrowing ordeal on Sunday.
Prior to his passing, Warner made a conscious effort to keep his daughter and wife out of the spotlight, apart from the occasional social media post.
For privacy reasons, he chose not to publicly disclose his daughter or wife's names.
Earlier this week, officials announced that a man left in critical condition was trying to save the actor.
A spokesman for The Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ) revealed the Good Samaritan had entered the water to help Warner after he was swept away by a rip current.
A statement obtained by People confirmed the unidentified 35-year-old man had no personal connection to the actor beforehand and was simply on the beach at the time Warner got into difficulty.
Following Warner's shock death, lifeguards from Playa Grande — a beach community located on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica — released a statement saying they were not present due to lack of 'resources.'
'We deeply regret the passing of Malcolm-Jamal Warner at Playa Grande. He was swept away by a strong rip current and died by drowning,' the Caribbean Guard, Costa Rica's volunteer lifeguard association, shared via Facebook on Monday.
'It all happened very quickly, and although there were people on the beach who entered the water to rescue him, they did not arrive in time.'
'He was pulled from underwater without vital signs, and despite CPR maneuvers being performed on the beach, resuscitation was unsuccessful.'
The Guard added that Playa Grande is one of their 'most challenging beaches,' noting the presence of signs in English and Spanish that warn of the 'danger of death due to drowning.'
Though the Guard has patrolled there 'over the past few years,' they alleged that they were 'not present' at the time of Warner's death.
Following Warner's shock death at 54, lifeguards from Playa Grande released a statement saying they were not present due to lack of 'resources'
'Due to recent aquatic incidents in Playa Negra, we had redirected resources there and to Chiquita, another iconic beach known for its strong currents,' they shared in the statement.
They then made an appeal to Costa Rica's president, Rodrigo Chaves Robles, and the government.
'From Caribbean Guard, a volunteer lifeguard association, we make an urgent appeal to the President of the Nation, the national government, the Municipality of Talamanca, and the entire Caribbean community to continue joining forces to minimize this problem, which, sadly, is on the rise ACROSS THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.'
'We do everything within our reach. We have saved numerous lives in recent years, and if Caribbean Guard didn't exist, the number of drownings would be counted in dozens. We give everything we have to minimize the risks, but without help from the government, clear public policies, and strong support from local business owners, this will continue to happen.'
On Sunday, the Costa Rican Red Cross received a 9-1-1 alert about a water incident at Playa Grande, Cahuita, Limón. In response, three ambulances were sent to the scene, as per Us Weekly.
Costa Rica's Judicial Investigation Department told Us Weekly that their preliminary investigation indicated Warner 'appeared to have entered the sea and was apparently swept away by a current.'
Warner had been in Costa Rica since July 13.
Warner was best known for his iconic role as Theodore Huxtable, the only son of Cliff Huxtable, on the beloved NBC sitcom The Cosby Show.
He appeared in all eight seasons from 1984 to 1992, earning widespread acclaim and becoming a household name.
At the time, Warner was just a teenager, but his performance earned widespread acclaim, including a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series at the 1986 Primetime Emmy Awards.
His character, Theo, was based on Bill Cosby's real-life son, Ennis Cosby, and was portrayed with depth and sensitivity.
Beyond The Cosby Show, Warner carved out a successful and diverse career in both comedy and drama.
He starred as Malcolm McGee in the UPN sitcom Malcolm & Eddie (1996–2000) opposite Eddie Griffin, and later headlined BET's Reed Between the Lines from 2011 to 2015 as Dr. Alex Reed.
His television credits also included recurring roles and guest appearances on shows like Sons of Anarchy, Jeremiah, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and Community. Warner also voiced the Producer character on the educational children's series The Magic School Bus.